2019 Lascombes

Qty:

From the critics:

96 JS

95 WE

94 AG

94 DEC

93+ JD

This is extremely linear and refined with a super-fine line of tannins running through the center of the wine. It’s full-bodied, yet tight and sophisticated, with a long, long finish. Plenty of blackcurrant, dark chocolate, walnut and cedar in the aftertaste. Try after 2025.

James Suckling | 96 JS

This classed growth estate is entering an era of consistency. This vintage has the balance between fruit and wood that was missing in the past. It has vivid black fruits that are cut with acidity and tannins, all set to propel the wine to a long-term future.

Wine Enthusiast | 95 WE

The 2019 Lascombes is a huge wine packed with black cherry, chocolate, new leather, spice and licorice. Creamy, rich and expansive, Lascombes is endowed with notable power and sheer breadth. As always, Lascombes is a heady Margaux that pushes the edges, but I find all the elements very well-balanced.

Antonio Galloni | 94 AG

Ripe, heady bramble fruit, plum and fig aromas. Excellent intensity of succulent juice and ripe fruit, there’s definitely a coffee/roasted element on the palate alongside liquorice and slate, all combining to give a real spicy but cleaning palate. The core of concentrated blackcurrant and black cherry fruit definitely takes the background while the other elements show their stuff. Tannins are pronounced but round and softly chewy, they frame the fruit well and give a menthol slightly spicy ending. Really good quality and enjoyment here. A powerful wine showing restraint and refinement. One for long ageing. Tasted twice. Drinking Window: 2024 - 2033.

Decanter | 94 DEC

The 2019 Château Lascombes showed well, with outstanding notes of cassis fruits as well as cedarwood and tobacco, and it displays more dark, earthy nuances with time in the glass. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has terrific balance, building tannins, and the vintage’s pure, fresh, and focused style front and center. Hide bottles for 4-6 years and enjoy them over the following two decades.

Jeb Dunnuck | 93+ JD

Offering up a rich bouquet of blackberries, cassis, burning embers and sweet spices, the 2019 Lascombes is full-bodied, lavish and textural, with a voluminous core of fruit, lively acids and plenty of ripe, powdery tannin that asserts itself on the youthfully firm finish. This is a powerful, muscular style of Margaux that remains nicely balanced in its register.

Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92+ RP

Richly fruity and very forward, with plum sauce, Black Forest cake and black currant pâte de fruit notes flanked by violet and alder accents through the finish. This will have fans for sure; drink in the near term. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2030.

Wine Spectator | 90 WS

Type of Wine	Bordeaux Red : Picture in your mind a combination of cedar, lead pencil, blackcurrant, plum and mineral aromatics, and texture that caresses your palate like a playful lover. The experience is thrilling from the first whiff to the final seconds of a tannic, generous finish - that is what you'll get from a Bordeaux Red
Varietal	Proprietary Blend : Proprietary Blend is a general term used to indicate that a wine is comprised of multiple grape varietals which are either “proprietary” to the winery or is blended and does not meet the required maximum or minimum percentage of a particular varietal. This also is the case for the grape’s place of origin, especially for region, appellation or vineyard designated wines. There are endless examples of blended wines which are labeled as “Proprietary Blend” and in conjunction with each region’s stipulated wine laws and regulations makes for a vast blanket for wines to fall into. Perhaps the simplest example is California; if a wine is to be labeled as Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, it is required to have at least 75% of the varietal (Cabernet Sauvignon) and 85% of the fruit must be cultivated from the Napa Valley wine district. If the wine does not meet the requirements, it is then labeled as Proprietary Blend.
Country	France : Wine is the lifeblood that courses through the country of France, pulsing with vigorous pride and determination. Viticulture is not just a hobby or an occupation in France; it is a passion, a cherished tradition that has been passed down through generations of wine stained hands. Winemaking is a beloved art that has been ingrained in the culture, an aptitude instilled in sons by fathers and the hallmark for which France’s reputation was built, allowing it to be renowned as, arguably, the most important wine producing country in the world. For centuries, France has been producing wines of superior quality and in much greater quantity than any other country in the world. It boasts some of the most impressive wine regions, coveted vineyards and prestigious wines on earth. The regions of Bordeaux, Burgundy, Rhone, Sauternes and Champagne have become the benchmark, for which others aspire to become. Legendary producers such as Chateaux Margaux, Domaine De La Romanee Conti, Chapoutier, d’Yquem and Dom Perignon are idolized world-wide. France has stamped its name on nearly every style of wine, from the nectar-like sweet Sauternes to hedonistic Chateauneuf Du Papes classic Bordeaux and Burgundy, to its sparkling dominance in Champagne. Many of the most infamous grape varietals in the world, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay originated in France and are not only beloved, but utilized in the creation of some of the greatest wines on earth. French wine production commands the attention of the wine market year after year. With over 860,000 hectares under vine, and numbers close to 50 million hectoliters of wine produced annually, France dominates the market and sets the standard for not only product quality, but also quantity. France’s many contributions to the world of wine have been absolutely indispensable. The country is the originator of the term “Premier Cru,” coined the term Terroir (a French term so complex there is no literal translation) and has laid the blueprint for a structured appellation system, which others have implemented in their own countries. French vineyard techniques and winemaking practices are mimicked world-wide. California vintners have been replicating Rhone style wines for decades, South America has adopted the French varietal of Malbec and countries around the world are imitating Burgundian styled Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. With vast diversity in terroir, France is home to some of the most hospitable winegrowing locations on earth. The combination of topography, geology, climate, rainfall and even the amount of sunlight combined with the long historical tradition of winegrowing and making, has allowed the vintners of France to not only hone their skills, but learn from nature to create a product that like the world in which it resides… is very much alive.
Region	Bordeaux : Even among the greatest and most reputable wine regions on the planet, Bordeaux stands above the rest. The winemakers of this region have a single-minded dedication to the fine art of viticulture and their efforts never fail to show. If you consider yourself a fine wine enthusiast, you owe it to yourself to visit Bordeaux - life changing. Whether you wish to drink some inspirational and gripping wine as soon as possible, or you want to add some masterpieces to your collection, no region on Earth is a more obvious choice. The noble and beautiful Garonne and Dordogne rivers surge through southwestern France, enriching the soil in a way very few other places can boast. The limestone-based earth is rich in calcium, and the almost oceanic climate conditions give the staple Bordeaux grape varietals vigor and flavor like nowhere else. For their illustrious reds, Bordeaux winemakers rely on a proven combination of Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Meanwhile, a sip of their excellent white wine hints at the use of Semillon, Muscadelle and Sauvignon Blanc.Each of these varietals carries a unique identity, making every quality wine a character piece to rival Citizen Kane. It can be incredibly hard to choose only a few wines to collect for your cellar!
Subregion	Left Bank
Appellation	Margaux
Cru	Second Growth

Producer	Chateau Lascombes : The appellation of Margaux has an incredible reputation for its tremendous and quite diverse terroir. It was the first Bordeaux area cultivated for vineyards; established by the ancient Romans 2,000 years ago. It has a long and illustrious history of producing some of the greatest wines in the world and has attracted collectors and enthusiast alike. By the 1700’s, the Margaux appellation had already earned its well-deserved reputation for producing great wine, causing Thomas Jefferson (ambassador to France and third President of the United States) to visit the region, purchasing from many of the estates and voicing great praise for the appellation’s wines, insisting they were of unrivaled quality. Resting upon this historic and desired terroir is the picturesque chartreuse (traditional French style house) of Chateau Lascombes and its beloved 120 hectares of vineyards. The eponymous estate takes its name from one of its earliest owners who possessed the estate in the 17th century, Antoine Chevalier de Lascombes. Born in 1625, Lascombes inherited the estate from the Durfort de Duras family, who had their own eponymous estate, Chateau Durfort (which later became Durfort Vivens). Since its inception ten generations of owners have succeeded each other, leaving their stamp upon the history of Chateau Lascombes. Despite the myriad of different ownerships over the course of the estate’s history; a destiny was paved along its way with colorful characters who have all contributed to the excellence of its wines. From the Chevalier de Lascombes to Alexis Lichine to the wealthy American entrepreneur, David Rockefeller, the Medoc estate had witnessed a numerous change of hands. Unfortunately, along with the positive attributes, came severe neglect. This however was not uncommon for the appellation of Margaux, as a number of estates were underperforming based on their true potential. Lascombes was no exception and by the 1950s had fallen into a state of complete neglect. After the purchase of the estate in 1952 and under the management of Alexis Lichine, many improvements were implemented and costing a small fortune. The vineyards were extensively replanted and the entire winemaking facility was refurbished and modernized in an effort to increase quality of production. Under the care and direction of Lichine, the production of Lascombes almost tripled, increasing the quality and reputation of the estate. It would again change hands multiple times; each owner investing massive amounts in order to elevate the property to the deserving quality of Second Growth, including a whopping $47 million by American based Colony Capital group. This was directed towards renovations to the entire estate including major replanting of the vineyards as well as the construction of a completely new winemaking facility that included a four-level gravity-fed vat room and new barrel aging cellars. As aforementioned, ten generations of owners have added their own contributions to the Margaux estate of Lascombes in their own unique way, improving the vineyards, the winemaking facilities and ultimately, the quality of wine. Today, the vines of Chateau Lascombes cover 120 hectares in the Margaux appellation as well as 10 hectares in the Haut-Medoc and is one of the largest vineyards among the classified growths of the 1855 Classification. The vineyard is made up of the most sought-after plots in Margaux with a terroir of uniquely mixed soil-types; typical for the diversity of the appellation. The terroir is mostly composed of gravel, clay, sand and limestone which are laid over sandstone and clay with iron deposits. Three distinct blocks of roughly the same surface area make up the vineyard; a gravelly outcrop planted with Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot, a block of clay-gravel made up of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon and clay-limestone plots where Merlot finds its optimal expression. Their best vines are placed on a gravel hillside that reaches up to 20 meters in elevation at its peak. Merlot is the predominant variety in the vineyard’s grape composition making up 50% of the total, which is a unique feature in the Margaux appellation. On average the vines are 35 years of age with a vine density of 8,000 to 10,000 per hectare. 25,000 cases of Chateau Lascombes are produced each year. The second wine, Chevalier de Lascombes and younger sibling, is selected from batches that are not earmarked for the Grand Vin. The wine has undeniable charm and offers real drinking pleasure. A “third” label is produced from their holdings in Haut-Medoc named Haut-Medoc de Lascombes. Chateau Lascombes’ story is one of success and neglect. The estate has overcome the barriers of defeat to become a label that is recognized for its greatness. The sheer determination and will by its forefathers has greatly improved the quality, stature and reputation of this magnificent estate.